Tools of the trade: Citizens Police Academy shows demonstrations

WOOSTER -- The full range of items used in the police department's repertoire were on display at Wednesday's Citizens Police Academy.

The session focused on an equipment demonstration from items used in daily patrol duties to the cruisers themselves.

Detectives Anthony Lemmon and William Belcher covered the tenets of the A.L.I.C.E. response system in the second half of the session.

Wooster Police Chief Matt Fisher and Capt. Scott Rotolo explained each of the department's tools of the trade.

Everything from duty firearms, utility belts, stop sticks (commonly referred to as ASPs) and the new jersey claws were on display.

Fisher also explained what a "spit hood" is (used for individuals who repeatedly try to spit on officers) and the department's policies when using the animal sticks.

Officer cruisers are equipped with the animal sticks in cases where an animal may be sick and poses an immediate hazard to the surrounding area or people. But Fisher said officers no longer respond to "a squirrel stuck in a chimney" or other similar calls.

Participants in the academy were also given Taser demonstrations and were allowed to fire them at cardboard targets.

Rotolo said in his experience when he is on the road the Taser has been a valuable tool, both in reducing officer injuries and those of the public.

He described one incident when he was "taggled up" with a suspect and another officer as they tried to handcuff the man, shortly after the department received the new-aged weapon. Rotolo said he suddenly remembered he had a Taser on his belt and disengaged from the wrestling match.

"(The other officer) looked at me and said 'What are you doing?'... I was like, 'we got the Tasers,'" Rotolo said.

Once he fired the Taser it worked just as expected and allowed the two officers to handcuff the suspect.

He said when a person is Tasered, the body locks up and the person drops to the ground. But once the five-second electrical charge (of 50,000 volts) expires "you get up like nothing happened."

But Tasers are not ideal for all situations, such as if a person has doused themselves in gasoline (could catch them on fire) or if they are standing near a ledge (could lead them to fall over).

During the A.L.I.C.E. session, Lemmon and Belcher reviewed what has been taught in schools across the country, especially since the Sandy Hook shooting.

The two detectives, along with other Wooster officers, have led roughly 25 presentations on the new tactics aimed at maximizing survival rates in active shooter situations.

Belcher estimated they presented to over 2,000 people in the area.

"A lot of this is common sense," Belcher said, reviewing the main ideas behind A.L.I.C.E., which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate.

Reporter Steve Huszai can be reached at 330-287-1645 or shuszai@the-daily-record.com. He is @GeneralSmithie on Twitter.